Buffalo Chicken Wings
Superbowl weekend is upon us. The day where Americans consume mass quantities of chicken wings and drink too much beer in the name of football. It is a glorious day. However this almost national holiday has a bittersweet quality to it. While I already know that Fall is over, the end of football season leaves me with empty Sundays and the knowledge that there is only cold, endless winter in store, with nothing worthwhile to watch on a weekend afternoon. Yes of course there is still hockey, but there is something about the game on in the background and a stew braising on the stove for hours on a Sunday afternoon that brings me peace and a sense of home. I shall miss you Fall, until you return again.
Ode to the best season aside- let’s talk about wings.
You do not need to go to your nearest big box chain in order to have perfect Buffalo Chicken wings this Sunday. You can make these easily at home and show off by bringing the best appetizer to your football party. And no offence to those who claim that you can make decent wings in an oven, but just like french fries and onion rings, there are no true oven substitutes. Buffalo chicken wings long to be fried, all crisp and crackly before being covered in delicious spicy sauce.
A few frying notes- use an oil with a high smoke point- preferably peanut, but canola and vegetable oil are fine substitutes. Frank’s hot sauce gives these wings a great taste, but you will need to add a ‘hotter’ hot sauce as well if you want these spicier than mild wings. Adjust to your taste and heat level.
Buffalo Chicken Wings
America’s Test Kitchen
Sauce:
4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) butter
1/2 cup Frank’s RedHot Original Sauce
2 Tbsp Tabasco or other hot sauce (more if you like it spicy!)
1 Tbsp dark brown sugar
2 tsp cider vinegar
Wings:
1-2 quarts frying oil
3 Tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
3 pounds chicken wings
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Whisk in the hot sauces, sugar, and vinegar until combined. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Line a large mixing bowl with paper towels. In a large pot, heat 2 1/2 inches of oil over medium-high heat to 360 degrees. While the oil heats, combine the cornstarch, salt, black pepper, and cayenne in a large mixing bowl. Dry the chicken with paper towels and place the pieces in the bowl and toss with a rubber spatula until the wings are evenly coated with the spice mixture. Fry half the wings until golden and crisp, approx 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the fried chicken wings to the lined mixing bowl. Repeat with the remaining wings.
Pour the sauce mixture over the bowl of wings, and toss until the wings are uniformly coated.